Part of A Family
by NATFreak
Summary: No body said fitting in was easy, especially when you're a mutant. But one mutant finds that having people that care about you takes some of the pressure away. Especially one mutant in particular who stays with her through everything. Lose
1. New Member enters, Old Member Returns

**Chapter 1:** New Member Enters, Old Member Returns

_Sweat dripped down her young face, trapping strands of golden hair on her flushed cheeks. Her breathing was slightly heavy as she rested in the dark, dank alleyway. As she sat there in her tattered clothing, a mixture of emotions tumbled around from within her. Most was pure bliss of the fact that she had finally escaped from the nightmare that she had lived with for so many years, but there was also fear that was gradually building up inside of her. Fear of, not just being alone for the first time in her life, but what she was becoming. Was she a monster with some sort of horrible curse? Or was she being granted with a wonderful gift to help her in her escape to freedom for the first time in her young life? As she pondered these burning questions, she heard light footsteps and turned swiftly to watch an elderly man approach the spot where she sat._

"_Who are you?" she asked, standing upright shakily._

"_Someone who's just like you.: smiled the man, serenely._

"_How do you know?" she asked, warily._

"_Come with me," he said, simply as he held out a dark gloved hand. "And I'll show you."_

_The girl only hesitated briefly before taking the man's hand. After all, what could be worse that the hell she had just escaped from? Nothing, right?_

_She was soon to be proven very wrong._

The sun's rays shown through the crack in the dark purple curtains as a lone figure jolted upright in her plush queen-sized bed, breathing heavily for a few short moments. Then she swung her long legs over the side of her plush bed and leapt off agilely, landing on the balls of her feet and stretched her arms and legs. She shuddered as a yawn shook through her body and rubbed her tired, golden eyes. She then glanced over at the small, simple alarm clock on the round side table by her bed and groaned: 8:15A..M.

"Aw, crap." She muttered, exasperatedly. "I'm late getting up **again**! I bet breakfast is already over and Charles is gonna interrogate me again, too. Unless-!"

She gasped and hurriedly collected stray articles of clothing spread out around her extravagant room and stood in front of her full body mirror to assess herself. Her reflection revealed a young woman in her early thirties with cat-like golden eyes, wavy golden locks that went slightly past her shoulders, and a set of rosy lips all set on a soft, heart-shaped face. She wore a silver, sleeve-less blouse and black pants with white gloves that extended a little past each elbow, and long white boots with silver laces. But her most remarkable feature was the mixture of black spots that decorated the right side of her face from the crown of her head to the base of her neck.

She grinned at her reflection then sprinted out her oak bedroom door and stopped at the foot of the stairway that led to the lobby and the large front door.

_Alright, if I just walk down the stairs slowly and softly Charles won't hear me._ She thought as she lifted her left foot and started to descend down the staircase to the lobby. _After all, it's not like he can read __**my **__mind._

She got about halfway down the stairs when she heard several voices and froze where she was with her left foot raised to go down to the next step.

"We'll see you later, Professor." called a tall brunette boy with dark shades as he walked to the front door with his backpack slung over one shoulder. An equally tall redheaded girl was following behind him, carrying her own backpack, when she noticed Rose and stopped in her tracks. She then tapped Scott on the right shoulder, who had already opened the front door. 'What, Jean?"

Jean raised her left index finger and pointed at Rose, Scott looked with her , and both of their amazed expressions turned to over bright smiles as they stared at one of their teachers. Scott opened his mouth to greet Rose a "good morning", but Rose just shook her head and raised her left index finger to shush him. Scott cocked a dark eyebrow, but Rose just shook her head again and mouthed them a "Have a great day". Scott then turned to look at Jean questioningly, but Jean just shrugged and they finally walked out the door together. Rose waited a moment to see if anyone else would emerge from the side room at the end of the staircase, but no one did and she once again slowly descended down the stairs until her booted foot touched the hard wood floor of the lobby. She then began to creep around the side of the staircase to the doorway that led into the kitchen when she heard someone call her name.

"Rose, is that you?" a male voice called through the room that the two teens had emerged from. Rose, halfway around the staircase, froze as she hoped in vain that the man would just think he imagined that he heard something. "Rose, I know you are there. Come in here please."

_Crap! _She groaned as she turned around to head through the doorway the voice had come from. _He must have read those two minds before they left! And I was so close too!_

"Good morning, Rose." the owner of the male voice was an aging, bald man with kind brown eyes and dark arching eyebrows. He sat in a metal wheelchair, but he was no less intimidating as his solemn eyes bore into Rose's golden ones.

"Good morning, Charles." greeted Rose, a little nervous as she tried to look into his eyes with innocent calm.

"You're up a little late again, aren't you?" Xavier asked her calmly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"No." Rose answered. "I was having an early DR solo session this morning, that's all."

"Is that correct?" Xavier said, though he did not seem at all convinced. "Then why, may I ask, is your normally neat golden hair in such a disarray?"

'Huh?" She lifted a glove hand to her to the back of her head to feel that her usually brushed hair was an entanglement of knots. _Damn! I must have forgotten to brush it in my rush earlier!. _"Well, sometimes you forget."

"Yes, I suppose so." Xavier mused, his expression softening with a little of amusement. "Though I don't suppose this has to do with a certain special someone who hasn't returned yet, does it?"

"Huh? No, not at all." Rose said, quickly as Charles cocked a dark eyebrow. "Ok, yeah. Maybe a little. Or a lot."

"Hmm. I thought as much." Charles chuckled, softly. "Is that why you have not been sleeping well recently?"

"Well," she said as she scanned the room to look for some kind of excuse to get the attention away from her. She then spotted a lone figure that was crouching behind Charles. In a large, tan trench coat. "Um, Charles? I think there is someone that needs me to be introduced to."

"Huh? Oh, yes." Charles replied, though noting her attempt to distract him but let it go for now. He then turned in his wheelchair to allow Rose a better look at the newcomer though the hood of his coat was up, shrouding his face in darkness. "This is Kurt Vagner, a newcomer to the school who arrived late last night. Kurt, this is Rose Silverstone also known as Silver Cheetah . She is another one of the professor's available here at the institute."

"Guten-tag Kurt. Rose greeted him kindly, noting his German last name. She stepped forward and extended a gloved hand in welcome to the young mutant who shook it with a blue, three-fingered hand then quickly broke the hold as if he expected Rose to flinch and lash out at him. Rose smiled sadly as she remembered her own wounds that seemed similar in a way to his. "You know, this is a place where you don't have to be afraid to show the true you. So why don't you get rid of that bulky trench coat and show us who you truly are Kurt? We won't scream or runaway from you. You only have friends here. So what do you say, Kurt?"

Kurt shifted uneasily, then shed his coat to reveal a strong, agile fifteen year old boy with beautiful blue fur that looked soft to the touch, short indigo hair, blue three-fingered hands, elongated blue feet, and a long blue tail ending in a spade shape. Rose could understand why he had thought she would have fled from him earlier, his appearance truly was demonic like.

_But looks aren't everything. _She thought as she noticed the boy take in her own physical mutations and smiled. "So what's your special gift that got you here, Kurt?"

"Gift?" he repeated, obviously not used to describing his mutant ability a gift.

"Yes, gift." she urged, knowing full well that it would take awhile for the word to truly sink in. "What is it that you can do?"

As an answer Kurt smirked mischievously and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke that smelled oddly of sulfur and then reappeared at the far end of the room.

"Wow," Rose whispered as the elf reappeared in front of them after another 'bampf' and a cloud of smoke. "Teleportation, interesting."

"So, vhat's your power Frau Silverstone?" the boy asked curiously as his tail twitched back and forth.

"You want to see?" she asked as he nodded eagerly. She smiled then seemed to vanish as she streaked out of the room and into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Rose then streaked back to the room with an apple in her hand that already had a bite taken out of it, it all took a matter of seconds.

"Vow," breathed Kurt as Rose took another bite of the round, juicy apple. "Zat almost looked like teleporting."

"Well, sort of." Rose said, turning to Charles who nodded and turned to Kurt.

"You see Kurt, Rose can move at incredible speeds that make it appear that she disappears, but she's actually just moving very quickly." Xavier explained as Rose nodded. "She also has another remarkable ability, Rose if you would demonstrate for him."

Rose hesitated then turned to Kurt, extending a gloved hand. "Kurt take my hand."

"Okay." Kurt grasped her hand, though unsure of what would happen when he did. "But vhat vor?"

"You'll see." Rose answered as Kurt's whole arm began to shake, his eyes widened.

"Vhat vas zat?" Kurt asked after the shaking had ceased and Rose had released his blue hand.

"Just another part of my gift of incredibly fast speed," she explained, matter-of-factly. "I have the ability to send vibrations from within my body into any object just by touching it."

"Zat's incredible!" exclaimed the young boy, eyes wide with wonder.

"It's nothing special." She replied modestly, smiling at the boy's enthusiasm. Then she looked over at Charles. 'Look Charles, I know you want to talk about 'you-know-what' again. But could it wait this time? After all, Kurt needs to be settled in properly right? And I could use a decent breakfast."

Charles studied her for a moment, then smiled kindly. "Alright, just for now though Rose. I still want to discuss that later."

"Yes, Charles. Of course." she answered, mentally dreading that discussion in her head. She then smiled and glanced at the two mutants. "Then I will see you two later. I hope you find your room to your liking Kurt. I know you're gonna love it here."

"Ja." the blue elf smiled crookedly, though his eyes still showed shadows of pain. "I zink zat I will."

"You will," she assured him as she turned to go back out through the door. "Just be yourself."

She then sprinted out the doorway and back to the kitchen to the gleaming refrigerator. She opened it, grabbed tow eggs from the side door then closed it, and headed over to one of the cabinets by the sterile stove. Rose reached up into the top shelf of one of the cabinets and produced a small frying pan and a small, silver bowl. She cracked the eggs, threw away the shells, sprayed thee pan, tipped the bowl of eggs into the pan, and turned on the stove. After a few minutes she grabbed a plate and sat down at the kitchen table with a fork and a glass of orange juice.

_So, we now have three teenagers with new found abilities living within the mansion This should be interesting, especially when more arrive. _Rose thought to herself as she stared out the large, glass window while taking a bite of her eggs. _Though it would be more fun if a certain someone were back._

Rose laid on top of her plush bed as she stared at white blankness of the ceiling above her. She was once again thinking about a certain someone, then immediately wished for a distraction for the up millionth time when-

_Rose, _Charles' voice telepathically called to her. _We need you downstairs by the main floor entrance now. _

_Perfect timing Charles! _She thought though she knew he could not hear her. She leapt off the side of her bed and quickly pulled on her boots before streaking out her open bedroom door and to the lobby of the main floor. As she descended down the staircase, Rose could hear a lot of noise coming from the kitchen that also led to the Danger Room.

As she reached the lobby floor, the female mutant stared as a toad-like boy streaked out from the hallway that led to the Danger Room, through the destroyed main floor, and out the front door. Rose made to follow him and barely made it out the door when she heard a familiar voice that tingled every fiber in her being and instantly brought a broad smile on her face.

"Going somewhere, bub?" the familiar voice asked as he bore down on the young boy who laid at his feet obviously frightened. The man had a dark t-shirt, blue jeans, brown boots, and a cowboy hat, but the most remarkable thing about him was the metal claws protruding from the knuckles of his hands. Which were tipping up the brim of his hat to reveal beautiful blue eyes and dark indigo hair that was shaped like a W.

"No, Logan. Let him go." said Charles from a balcony above Rose as Logan stepped aside to let the boy pass.

"I came back here because I smelled trouble," stated Logan as he watched the boy flee, then glanced up at Charles. "Though it could have just been stink boy there."

"I wish it was." said Charles quietly before smiling warmly. "Welcome back old friend we missed you, especially-"

"Logan! You're back!" called Rose happily as she jumped him, hugging him tightly.

"Hey there Goldilocks!" Logan greeted her warmly as he managed to keep his balance while still hugging her tightly. Then pulled away from the embrace to get a good look at her. "Did you miss me?"

"A little ." she breathed, still smiling broadly as Logan cocked a dark eyebrow and pulled her face closer to his so that their lips were breaths apart.

"Oh really?" he asked unconvinced as his warm breath caressed her skin. "A little or a lot, Rose?"

As an answer, Rose closed the gap between their lips and kissed him passionately as Charles chuckled quietly to himself in the background.

"So, have ya had any of those nightmares lately Goldilocks?" Logan asked when they finally broke apart for air. Then noticed the red rings around her golden eyes. "I guess so." Guess that means I'll be sleeping in your room tonight, huh?"

"What?!" Rose exclaimed, red blush spreading all over her cheeks at the thought. "No, you don't have to."

"Relax, I don't mean like that." he chuckled, loving the way her soft cheeks brighten. "Besides, it won't be any different from any other time right?"

"Alright." Rose said realizing he was right, then laced his hand with hers and leaned against his shoulder as they walked to the front door of the mansion. "I'm really glad you're back Logan."

"So am I Rose." Logan whispered as he kissed the top of her head as they entered the mansion. "So am I."


	2. Not All Scars Fade With Time

**Disclaimer:**Yeah no. Think about it if I was Stan Lee I would have the second season of Wolverine and the Xmen already on Nicktoons.

A/N: Yay! Here it is finally! The long awaited second chapter! And before we begin a big shout out to my friend Nightcrawler's Shadow! Happy Birthday girl! Hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 2:** Not All Scars Fade With Time

Rose's eyes flickered open slowly as she rose up in her bed, smiling slightly at the restful, nightmare less sleep she had had. It was the third one in a row after Wolverine had returned, who she tripped over as she swung her legs over the side of her bed and leapt off, or at least tried to.

"Ow." Rose muttered as she looked into the blue eyes of Logan who had jolted awake when she had landed on top of him. "Good morning."

"Yeah, good mornin'." he replied, smiling slightly. "Well damn Goldilocks. Did ya really want to wake me up that badly?"

"Maybe." She answered with a mischievous smile on her face as she leaned in a little closer.

"Well," he said, amused. "There are better ways to do that ya know."

"Yeah?" she asked. "Like what?"

As an answer, Logan kissed her on the lips for a few seconds then pulled away.

"You're right." She agreed as she leaned back down and kissed him a little longer on the lips this time. "That is a better way, though you should make it longer next time."

"I'll try and keep that in mind." he laughed, playing with a loose strand of her golden hair. "But I think it's time to go get somethin' to eat."

"I'm not hungry." She retorted, but was contradicted by her stomach which growled underneath her, making Rose blush lightly. "Okay, maybe I am a little. But it can wait."

"Oh really?" he asked her as her stomach growled again. "I think your stomach's sayin' otherwise Goldilocks."

"So?" She pouted, then smiled mischievously. "It can wait. Besides I'm too comfortable to move anyway."

"So am I," Logan smiled slightly, stroking her cheek as her stomach growled once more making them both laugh. "Come on, it's time to eat."

"Oh, alright." She surrendered as she began to stand up, but was tripped by one of Logan's feet as he attempted to get up at the same time.

"If ya can stand up right that is." laughed Logan as he caught her as she fell back on top of him.

"Right." She said, rolling her golden eyes. "Or we could not get up at the same time."

"Alright." he said as he kissed her cheek softly. "How 'bout ya get up first?"

"Ok." She murmured as she stroked his chin, then stood up and stepped back a little to let him stand up.

"There was that so hard?" he teased her as she shook her head. "Good then let's go get some breakfast."

- Part of a Family-

The sounds of banging pots and the smell of fried eggs and bacon greeted the two mutants as they reached the large sterile kitchen.

"Hey Jean, pass the butter." called Scott as the redheaded girl smiled and raised a hand to her forehead and one to the butter dish. She stared at the butter tray a few inches away from her and squinted in concentration until the butter dish levitated in the air and soared straight to Scott's outstretched hand. "Thanks."

"Sure thing." She chimed back, then turned to see two of her professors had entered the room and smiled kindly in greeting. "Well, good morning Rose and Logan."

"Good morning Jean." Rose greeted back as Logan grunted a 'mornin'. As the female mutant scanned the kitchen, smiling a greeting to Scott, she realized that there was a certain teenage mutant missing. "Where's Kurt?"

"Probably still in his room." answered Scott, his lips forming a tight line as if something was worrying him.

"Why isn't the elf gettin' ready for school?" inquired Logan.

"We think," said Jean, twisting her hair nervously as she glanced at Scott who nodded. "That he's worried about his first day of school."

"But didn't Chuck give him some kinda watch thing that makes him look like a non-mutant kid?" he asked the two teenagers, obviously confused as they nodded. "Then what the hell's his problem?"

"Maybe he thinks it will malfunction while he's at school and everybody will see the real him." suggested Rose thoughtfully as everyone turned to star at her curiously. "Okay, look. I know how it feels to be ridiculed and shunned of just because you look different from everyone else. When I was a kid, the kids at school mocked, shunned, and ran away from me because of my spots and cat-like eyes. Once I even tried to use my mom's makeup to at least cover up my spots, but I was caught and punished. Though my situation was a little different than Kurt's is. I have partial physical mutations, while his gives him a demonic form that frightens people who misunderstand him just because of what he looks like when they should be more focused on wh at's inside: a sweet, smart kid who just wants to be loved and accepted. I'm probably the one who understands him the most so I'll go see if I can get him to come down."

Noone said anything, only stared in amazement as the silver cheetah streaked out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and stopped in front of an oak bedroom door.

"Kurt?" called Rose as she knocked gently on his door with a gloved hand. "Kurt? Open the door please."

There was no answer from within the room as Rose sighed.

"Kurt, I know you're afraid to go to school." Rose told him. "I know that you're worried that something horrible will happen today and everyone at school will see the real you. But you can't let that fear control you from living the life that you want to live."

"Zat's easy for you to zay." murmured a miserable voice as the door opened to reveal a down-hearted elf. "At least you don't look like zis, a monzter. At least you don't have people running away vrom you just because of the way you look."

"You're wrong about that." She answered, smiling sadly as she remembered how she had felt when she had been teased just because she looked different.

"Vhat do you mean?" asked Kurt, staring at her curiously then noticed the shadow of past pains dance across her eyes and remembered that he wasn't the only one with physical mutations. "You've dealt with it too, huh Frau Silverstone?"

"Yeah," Rose replied. "Though I probably didn't have as bad of a time as you."

"Zat's true." murmured the nightcrawler as shadows of his own past pains flashed across his golden, orb-like eyes. "But at least you know what I'm feeling."

"It's good to have a friend who understands you, huh?" She asked him as Kurt nodded, smiling slightly making Rose smile in return. "So why don't you put your transducer on and give school a try?"

"Ja, okay." Kurt surrendered as he made a show of dramatically walking into his room, grabbing his bookbag, putting on his transducer so that he looked 'normal', and walked back out, closing the door behind him.

"So you want to take my hand and 'blur' down or- you have a better idea don't you, ?" she asked as he gave her a mischievous smile. "What is it?"

"You'll see." he replied mysteriously as he held out a 'normal' five-fingered hand. "Just take mein hand."

"Okay." Rose said unsure as she grasped his hand and felt her stomach turn inside out as they disappeared in a black cloud of smoke, that smelled like sulfur, and reappeared in the kitchen, scaring the crap out of the three mutants hat were already there. Rose released her hand from their grasp and teetered backward trying to regain her equilibrium. "Whoa."

"Ya alright?" asked Logan as he grasped both of her shoulders to keep her steady.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, smiling slightly as the elf who had a goofy grin on his face. 'I just teleported, that's all."

"How'd it feel?" asked Scott curiously.

"Like my stomach was turned inside out." She replied, a little weakly. "Though I don't think it was a good idea for me to do it on an empty stomach."

"Sorry." said Kurt, a little timidly like a little boy that had been caught doing something wrong.

"For what? I though it was cool." She told him, finally having regained her balance, but didn't mention this fact to Logan. After all, she liked the feeling of his strong hands on her shoulders then shook herself mentally to refocus. "Anyway, you three better get to school."

Actually, it's just going to be Scott and Kurt." corrected Jean as everyone turned to stare at her questioningly. "The professor just asked me to come see him and that I won't be going to school today."

"A new student?" inquired Rose as Jean shrugged.

"Maybe." she said. "If they want to join us then yes."

"Alright." murmured Rose as she turned to Scott and Kurt. "Then I guess it's just you two. You better get going or you're gonna be late."

"Right." Scott said as he grabbed his car keys and ran outside to his car. "See you guys later."

"Have a good day." called Jean and Rose after him as he disappeared.

"I'd better get going too." said Kurt as he started to head off, then turned to Rose and smiled. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Zank you Frau Silverstone."

"You're welcome, Kurt. And remember," she told him. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be right here. Now get going or you'll be late."

"Okay. Bye everyone." the elf called as he dashed off.

"They're a good bunch of kids." stated Logan.

"Yeah," Rose agreed. "Yeah they are."

-Part of a Family-

"So, how'd you get through to him anyway Goldilocks?" asked Logan, later in the afternoon as he polished his bike in the front yard of the mansion with Rose sitting on the bench beside it.

"Hmm? You've been thinking about it all this time Devil horns?" she asked teasingly as he growled something unintelligible making her laugh. "Well, let's just say that I can be very persuasive."

"Yeah, you sure are..." he began to retort sarcastically as a familiar scent filled his nostrils making the wolverine stand up and growl. "Sabertooth."

"What?" asked Rose surprised at his sudden actions then stood up too and walked over to Logan. "You sure Devil horns?"

"I'd never forget that stench." He growled, his voice seething with hatred as he started to turn back to the front door of their home. "It's 'bout time we finished this."

"Wait!" Rose called after him as she streaked in front of him, making him stop with a gloved hand pressed on his chest. "Where do you think you're going all by yourself?"

"Don't even think 'bout it, Rose." He told her as she raised a golden eyebrow. "Don't give me that. Ya're not comin' with me. Now get out of my way."

"I can't believe you!" She exclaimed angrily as he tried to pull her hand off, but found himself unable to as his whole body began to shake. "What is it with you and teamwork?!"

"Uh, Goldilocks?" interrupted Logan, staring pointedly at her gloved hand that was the source of his entire body shaking. "Could you..."

"No!" answered Rose, her golden eyes flashing. "When are you gonna get it through that thick skull of yours that you don't have to be alone anymore?"

"It's not that I want to be alone!" Logan told her as her hand relaxed slightly making the shaking in his body cease. Taking this opportunity. Logan slipped out behind her and continued towards the mansion.

"Then what is it?" she asked him as he stopped midstride at the confusion and pain in her voice. "Why can't I com with you?"

"Because I don't want to see you get hurt!" He yelled back at her, exasperated that she just didn't get it. "This is my problem. Not yours! And I'm not gonna let my stupid ass problems hurt you1"

The Silver Cheetah just stood there stunned as she watched Logan strut to the mansion and come back out a few minutes later, suited up, and straddling his bike.

"Logan wait." Rose said, snapping out of her trance as she walked to the side of the bike so that he could see her face fully. "Before you go, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being all pushy when I should have considered your feelings."

"It's alright, darlin'" he assured her with a smile. "I shouldn't have snapped at ya. Ya're just carin' about me. But ya gotta understand Goldilocks, I need to take care of this myself."

"I do understand." She replies honestly as she bent forward and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Just try and be careful, that's all."

"Yeah, I will." He promised, smiling again which dimmed slightly as he noticed the worried expression on her face. He sighed inwardly and kissed her quickly, stroked the left side of her face gently, and smiled as he revved up his bike. "I'll be back soon so don't worry 'kay?"

"Yeah, ok." She said as she backed up and watched him blow out of the gates and down the road at full speed. "Yeah, why would I worry? It's not like I've ever been given a reason to."

**A/N: And that's all folks! Hope you all enjoyed. Read, review, and show me what you think! And Happy birthday once again Shadow! Sorry it took so long.** **Until next time. See ya!**


	3. Taking Baby Steps

**Disclaimer:** Out to lunch until Wolverine and the X-Men season 2 is put on Nicktoons Network.

**A/N: Yes I am alive! (cricket noises) Anyway here's my public service announcement for the day. In case some of you haven't noticed, Wolverine and the X-Men has stopped production. If you love that show and want to see season 2 help us by petitioning. Please, we need 10,000 people and we don't even ave 1500 yet. There's already so many good shows being taken off don't let this be one of them. Ok, now that I got that off my chest, here is chapter 3. Enjoy!**

"Ah hell! Where did those two get to?" muttered an exasperated Rose as she streaked all over the mansion until she found herself back in the lobby. "Charles is gonna have my head when he finds out."

"Any why would I do that dear Rose?" inquired a solemn voice that made Rose cringe as she turned unwillingly to face none other than the professor himself who gazed up at her, his long fingers laced together and a curious expression on his face. "Well, Rose?"

"Umm, well" the young mutant murmured, biting at her lower lip as she tried to think of how to word it nice enough so that she wouldn't get in trouble." umm, Kurt and Scott are, well..."

"Ah, yes." The professor interrupted. "Where are Kurt and Scott?"

"Well, they're..."

"Right here." answered a German accented voice as everyone turned to the top of the stairs where Scott and Kurt had magically appeared. Though both teenagers pretended they had been there the whole time, Rose could smell the stench of sulfur in the air.

And so can Charles, thought Rose nervously as she turned to glance at the professor who looked at the two mutants with an expression of amusement. not like he would need to since he can read their minds. Man, I am so busted! He'll never trust me with kids again!

"And you have been here all this time?" inquired Xavier as Kurt nodded vigorously making Rose mentally groan. "Really? Then where is Wolverine who you chased after recklessly?"

"Uh oh. Busted." muttered Kurt as he looked to Scott for help.

"Well, you see Professor," began Scott uncertainly as Rose put a gloved hand to her right temple.

"Be easy on the kids Chuck." said a familiar husky voice as everyone's gaze turned to the front door where Logan stood, irritation written all over his face. "It's not they're fault."

Uh oh. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say things didn't go very well. thought Rose who had lowered her gloved hand as she watched the wolverine stride in front of Xavier. A few moments of unnerving silence passed as they stared into each other's eyes until Charles broke contact with a knowing sigh.

"Ah, I see." whispered the professor as he turned his head to the two mutants who were still at the top of the stairs then back at Logan. "So you had a reunion with an old friend but he got away?"

"Yeah, that's 'bout it." replied the wolverine gruffly though Rose knew that was not all he had told Xavier telepathically.

No. If I know Devil-horns that is definitely not all, she thought sadly as she noted the pain that still lingered in his crystal blue eyes. not even close. He probably blames the boys for getting in the way which I'm sure they did because they probably saw him speed off, decided to help, and that's where they've been all this time.

"So we're off the hook?" asked Cyclops nervously as Charles nodded.

"Yes, you are." he told them making both teenage boys clap the other's hand though Kurt broke it off prematurely as he noticed a thin figure hiding behind Storm, a young African woman whose gift was controlling the weather. The professor smiled slightly as he heard Kurt's thoughts then turned to the small figure. "Ah yes. With all the commotion I nearly forgot about our new friend who needs introducing. If you will come out young one, you are among friends here. Everyone, this is the newest member of our family, Kitty Pryde who will also be known as Shadow Cat."

Slightly nervous, Kitty walked out from behind Storm. She was a young girl, probably around 15, with chocolate hair pulled back in a high, tight ponytail and clear blue eyes. She wore a yellow blouse with a pink jacket over it, blue jeans, and white sneakers.

"Hello." she mumbled weakly.

"There's no need to be shy." Charles reassured her, smiling softly. "No one will..."

Where did Kurt run off to? thought Scott as he realized a certain blue elf had disappeared then groaned. Not a good way to make a good first impression Kurt. Who knows how she'll take it.

A loud scream and the sight of Kitty retreating behind Storm answered Scott's inquiry as he returned his gaze to the lobby floor.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." apologized the blue elf smiling weakly as he backed up a bit. "I just wanted to make you feel welcome, that's all."

"By jumping people like that?" demanded the girl angrily. "Some welcome."

Uh oh. thought Rose as she watched the blue mutant disappear in a cloud of smoke. "Kurt, wait!"

"Don't worry Rose." called Scott from the top of the stairs. "I'll talk to him."

"Poor Kurt." whispered Rose as she turned back to Kitty. "You know, all he was trying to do was make you feel welcome."

"Well he shouldn't have jumped me like that." retorted Kitty stubbornly. "Besides..."

"Besides what?" asked Rose.

Logan?

Yeah Chuck? replied Logan, surprised. What's with the sudden mind talk?

Well, this might get, well, ugly.

Why? asked the wolverine, but he got his answer before the professor could tell him.

"I have a, like, problem with people who, like," Kitty was answering Rose nervously. "don't look like normal people."

'Who don't look like normal', uh oh. thought the wolverine as he then understood what Charles was so worried about as he glanced nervously at Rose like she might explode. Goldilocks won't take that very well.

" 'Normal' ?" echoed Rose as she felt the old anger rage up inside of her from old wounds, but she managed to shake them off with a trembling sigh. She then began to walk to the stairs then turned back to the girl with sad eyes, "You know, appearances aren't everything. It's what you find inside that really matters. I hope you enjoy it here."

Go with her Logan. Charles encouraged him, noticing the way he stared at her as she sped up the stairs and disappeared. You're probably the only one she'll talk to right now.

Yeah or the only one she'll truly flip out on. replied Logan as he followed the trail that Rose's scent had left behind up to her room and, after taking a deep breath, opened the bedroom door. "Rose?"

"Yeah Logan?" murmured a sad voice from within the bedroom. "You can come in you know. It's not like I'm gonna bite your head off or anything."

"Like you could." he retorted as he pushed open the door, entered the dimly lit room, and closed the door behind him. He found Rose sitting on her plush bed with her legs folded up so that her knees were almost touching her chin and her arms around them with her head laid on top facing downward. "After all, I'm pretty indestructible."

"Yeah, you're something alright." she replied weakly, more as a robotic response than one with any heart in it.

That conversation bugged her more than she showed. observed the wolverine with a sigh as he strode over to her bed and sat down next to her, putting a warm hand on her bare forearm as he scooted up next to her. He placed his head close to her. "That bugged ya more than ya let on, huh?"

"I wanted to flip out on a young girl who got thrust into a whole new world she doesn't understand yet." Rose admitted miserably, her head still facing downward. "What do you think, Devil-horns?"

"Well," said Logan, trying to think of some way to comfort her. "it wouldn't have been without a good reason."

"Good reason?!" repeated the silver cheetah surprised as she unexpectedly rose her head to stare at him in disbelief, her body slightly beginning to shake. "And what good reason would that be, Devil-horns?!"

"Ok, relax Goldilocks." He told her as he grasped her shoulders, trying to calm her down. "Don't go flippin' out on me. I'm only tryin' to help."

There was a moment of awkward silence as they stared at each other until Rose had turned her head away, her golden locks had fallen in front of her face, and her golden eyes were turned downward.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Devil-horns." She whispered as she then laid her head on his shoulder, her lips a centimeter away from his neck. "I shouldn't have taken all my anger out on you."

"It's not like I never took my anger out on ya." he said bitterly even with her warm breath caressing his neck. "I guess we both have anger issues."

"Yeah. I guess so."Rose murmured, noting the change in his tone. The silver cheetah sighed as she snuggled closer to him. "The encounter with an 'old friend' didn't go very well, did it?"

The wolverine did not say anything though Rose could feel a small growl building in his throat.

Yep, thought so. Rose thought, smiling slightly. I better change the subject before he flips out too, and I think I know the perfect way to do it.

Rose smirked as she pulled her head back slightly and kissed Logan on his neck then pulled back slightly again, her head still on his shoulder.

"What was that for?" asked a surprise Logan.

"What? I need a reason to kiss my man now? Geez, what is this world coming to?" sighed the silver cheetah exasperatedly. The wolverine growled something unintelligible making her laugh. "Relax, Devil-horns. It was a joke. I did it to make you feel better and to get your mind off of something that was about to make you flip out, like you did for me."

"Ya know," he said quietly. "there are better ways to get someone's mind off of somethin'."

"Yeah, like what?" asked Rose curiously as she lifted up her head from his shoulder to look at him then moved back slightly, blushing rouge. "Um Devil-horns, y-you don't m-mean, right now?"

"Why not?" asked Logan confused at her behavior as she shifted back a little more. "Would it really matter when we do it? Would it?"

Actually, yes! It would matter a lot! thought Rose as she tried to remain calm, her cheeks reddening at the very thought of what Logan was suggesting. "Um, Logan? Don't you think we should do it because we love each other not to dull our pain and frustration?"

"How do ya I don't wanna do it for love?" demanded the wolverine. "Rose, this is ridiculous! Are ya tellin' me ya don't wanna? Ever?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head slightly then stared at Logan with her golden cat-like eyes. "I want to some day. It's just that it doesn't seem like the right time. I mean, we barely know each other yet."

"Alright." surrendered Logan as he raised his hands in defeat then got off the bed and started to head towards the door.

"Really Devil-horns?" demanded Rose who had leapt off the bed and sprinted in front of him, a gloved hand placed on his chest and golden eyes searching his. "Is this what you want? To force your girl who isn't quite ready yet to do what you want? Do you remember what I've witnessed as child? Do you remember what I told you about the only relationship I grew up with? Do you remember that I have trust issues?"

"Are ya sayin' that ya don't trust me?" asked Logan heatedly.

"No! That's not what I'm trying to get at at all!" Rose retorted angrily, shaking her head making the room shake then took a deep breath to steady herself and return her gaze to him. Her eyes softened as she put her free hand on his cheek, smiling slightly. "Look, I do trust you and I do love you, I do. It's just that, I need more time to get adjusted to a place where I am loved and welcomed. A place where I am truly part of a family. But that doesn't mean we can't make out just no, um well..."

The wolverine laughed in spite of himself as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him, and laying his head on her shoulder.

"What am I gonna do with ya?" he mumbled as she shrugged her shoulders making him sigh. He lifted his head and pushed her backward cupping her face in his hands and touching her forehead with his so that their lips were barely a breath apart. "How 'bout takin' baby steps?"

"Sounds good." Rose breathed as he closed the distance between them and kissed her passionately on the lips. It lasted only a few moments before they broke apart making her sigh disappointedly and, before thinking, the silver cheetah wrapped her arms around Logan's neck and kissed him full on the mouth, hard and passionately.

The wolverine froze in shock for a moment at the silver cheetah's sudden actions them relaxed as his lips responded to hers. His arms found themselves once again wrapped around her waist as he pushed her back up against the wall then suddenly unsheathed his adamantium claws scratching Rose's back making her cry out in pain as the ends of his claws got stuck in her back.

"Ow! Logan! Let go!" cried Rose as blood began to slowly drip down her back, showing up lightly on her silver blouse. Her arms instinctively began to vibrate bringing Logan back to his senses as he instantly unsheathed his claws making Rose drop to the floor.

"Oh my God!" Logan yelled, his face contorted with anger and guilt as he knelt down across from Rose. "I'm so goddamn stupid! Goldilocks, I'm sorry!" I got carried away. Goldilocks? Rose? Rose?!"

Rose wanted to tell him that it was alright and that he shouldn't be so hard on himself, accidents happen. She wanted to touch his face and comfort him, but she was slowly becoming dizzy from the loss of blood and eventually fainted.

~Part of A Family~

"Ah, I believe she's beginning to come around." came a familiar voice though it seemed so far off.

"I told you she was alright." came another familiar voice.

But why do they sound so far away? She thought as she tried to remember what happened. Well, if I open my eyes maybe I'll remember then. Though I feel kinda weak.

"You worry too much." continued the second voice, this time a little closer.

"I just sticked my goddamn claws into her back, Storm!" growled a third voice loud and clear making her eyes fly open. The bright rays of the sun stung her eyes at first until she waited for them to adjust. The bedroom glowed orange, sunset, as she looked up at the three mutants who were gathered near the foot of her bed. The sight of an angry wolverine yelling at a trying to be patient Storm greeted her as she instantly remembered everything. "I could have killed her ya know!"

"Well, isn't this a lovely sight to be greeted with." remarked Rose with light sarcasm in her tone as everyone turned to stare at her in surprise, their expressions going from ones of concern to relief. "Geez, how long was I asleep? You guys act like I was on my deathbed or something."

"Don't joke around Rose." growled Logan, quilt written all over his face and pain in his downcast eyes. "I could have killed ya."

"But you didn't." she reminded him as their eyes met until the wolverine glanced down once more.

"Only because ya used that vibration power of yours." he retorted back as she sighed and tried to sit up.

"Owowow." the silver cheetah cried as she fell back down against the soft pillow. :What the?"

"The wounds were not deep, but we did have to stitch them back together." Storm told her. "Your back will be sore for awhile so I suggest you rest for a couple of days."

"Oh, ok. Logan would you at least look at me?" Rose asked him who she had been watching the whole time, but her wolverine had never glanced up at her and it was starting to make he heart ache. "Logan? Come on Devil-horns! How long are you going to keep beating yourself up? Accidents happen. You thought you hurt me earlier? You ignoring me now, feeling guilty, and not even looking at me is what's breaking my heart not the scratches."

There was a period of silence as Rose waited for her wolverine to respond but he did not. The silver cheetah shook her head then took in a deep breath.

"Earth to Devil-horns! Anybody home?!" yelled Rose as loud as she possibly could making Logan cringe and kneel down on the floor at the loud noise that was even louder for him thanks to his enhanced hearing.

"Goddamn Goldilocks!" growled Logan as he finally stood back up after the ringing in his ears ceased and glance over at a hysterically laughing Rose. His expression softened at her as laughed too then went over to her side and sat on the edge of the bed, his arm gently wrapped around her shoulders. 'Ya think ya're hilarious, don'tcha?"

"Well, actually yes/" she replied after her laughing fits had stopped leaving her eyes watering as she beamed up at him. "At least it got you to talk to me again."

"Yeah, I guess so." murmured Logan, stunned by her dazzling smile. "We'll just have to be more careful."

"Yep." she answered, still smiling as he gave her a small kiss.

"Now that that is settled," said Charles suddenly as everyone glanced at him as he smiled at the two then looked at Rose. "There's someone who wishes to speak with you."

"Me?" asked Rose as Xavier nodded. "Who?"

**A/N: That's all folks! So what did you think? Who do you think wants to speak with Rose? Read and review. And for wolverine and the X-men lovers I would like you to help us save it. Though I'm not making anyone, like I could. Just think about. Hope you liked it. Until next time.**


	4. Finding A Path

**Disclaimer****: Yeah if I owned X-Men I'd be helping out with the movies and meeting Hugh Jackman. so yeah no.**

**A/N: Yay! I'm finally updating something! Sorry for the wait, again. It's been a long summer. Hope you enjoy and there's some special parts for you Shadow! Here goes.**

"You can come in." called Charles as his glance swerved towards the bedroom door that, at first glance, appeared to be shut, but Rose could see that it was open just a crack and that a large blue eye was staring through.

"Kitty wants...to talk...to me?" asked Rose surprised, looking at Xavier. "Even after I almost bit her head off earlier?"

"Well, it's not, like, I didn't, like, deserve it." answered Kitty as everyone 's glances returned to the door which was now fully open with the young mutant standing in the doorway. "I shouldn't have, like, reacted the way I did earlier just because someone looked like a, a..."

"A monster?" supplied Rose, her tone going frosty. "You know, it's like I said before: appearances aren't everything. It's what is inside that really matters in the end. Why did you come up here anyway Kitty? To apologize? Because I'm really not the one you should be apologizing to."

"I, like, know that." responded the teenage girl. "It's just, like, I can't. That's why I, like, came to you. I think that you can, like, help me get over this, like, issue that I have."

"Because I don't look 'normal' either?" asked Rose coldly as she sat up slightly, her cat-like eyes hardening as they bore down on the girl. "You think if by hanging around a **freak** like me with physical mutations will help you get over your **problem**? Well think again. You're going to have to get over the fact that you're a mutant sooner or later and learn to be kind to others like Kurt. Until then, you can forget about me becoming your mentor."

Kitty stood there as if stunned, but soon recovered as a **bamf** noise echoed the room announcing the arrival of Kurt. ShadowCat jumped in the air and vanished through the floor as she landed leaving a sad Nightcrawler starring at where she had disappeared.

"Vhy does she hate me?" he asked, his tail drooping behind him.

"It's not your fault, Kurt." Xavier assured him, rolling over to the 17 year old's side, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Kitty just needs time to adjust. She'll come around."

"I hope so." he said.

"Is there a particular reason you came up here Kurt? Or do you just want to talk to me?" asked Rose, wanting to change the subject to a lighter one.

"Huh? Oh, I just vanted to see how you vere feeling." replied Kurt shyly.

"I'm fine." Rose said with a smile , though something told her that he had wanted to try again with Kitty as well.

"Zat's good." He said with a half-hearted smile as he made for the door. As he reached it he turned around. "I'll you guys later zen."

"What's wrong with the elf?" asked Logan aloud, starring at the door Kurt had closed behind him. "I've never seen him so down."

"Yeah, I know." agreed Rose, biting her lower lip in worry. "It's just that he really wants to make Kitty feel at home here, but she won't give him a chance to because of the way he looks. I wish there was something I could do to cheer him up, but I'm afraid the only thing that will is Kitty accepting him and I don't see that happening any time soon."

"Young ShadowCat will adjust with time." Xavier said wisely as Rose laid back with a sigh as placed a hand on her forehead. He rolled over to the other side of the bed and placed his hand on hers that laid on her plush comforter. "We just need to be patient."

"Chuck's right, Goldilocks." Logan told her as he squeezed her shoulders comfortingly making her look up at him in surprise. "She'll come around. you'll see."

"Yeah," she said as she snuggled closer to him and sighed. "you guys are right. She just needs time."

"And so do you." said Storm as everyone turned to stare at her questioningly. "To heal I mean. Three days in bed Rose, I mean it."

"Okay, I understand." Rose replied, she knew better than to cross the weather goddess. "I won't move from this bed for three days, promise."

"Good." nodded Storm.

"Well, now that all that has been settled," Xavier said. "why don't we leave Rose to get some rest, Storm?"

"Yes, Charles." the African woman agreed as she followed Professor Xavier out the door leaving Logan and Rose to themselves.

"So, three days huh?" muttered the wolverine.

"Yeah, I don't know how I'm gonna stand it." complained the silver cheetah sarcastically. "Three days alone with my man, how will I manage?"

"Yer real funny." he murmured, but smiled as he bent down to give her a kiss. Then leaned back a bit to look her in the eyes. "Three days huh? I think I can manage, you?"

"I think so." she breathed as he kissed her again gently then leaned his head on top of hers. "I think so." **(A/N: Okay I'm putting this out there right now. There will be NO LEMONS til the sequel. I know exactly how I'm gonna do it and it will happen eventually. So please be patient. Once again zero lemons until i do the sequel based off of season 2 of Evolution. Thanks.)**

~Part of A Family~

Three days later Rose found herself up in the control room of the Danger Room with Scott, Jean, Kurt, and Kitty for a "demonstration".

_Though with Devil-horns it might as well be called a demolition._ she thought as they watched Logan, clad in black like a ninja, break into the vents.

"Impressive, you got past the automated defenses by using the air vents, but you won't get past me." noted Storm as she unleashed her power to control the weather to call upon the elements making Logan retreat to the air vents again. "Testing me, hmm? Alright then, it's time you remembered why they call me Storm."

Storm flew to the chimney of the Institute and used her gift to send wind, lightning, and hail flushing Logan out of the vents into the DR. "You look a little flushed and the forecast isn't good."

The weather witch had moved to the control room as Logan is pushed back by water and snow, encasing his whole body in ice.

_Man, Storm gets all the fun._ thought Rose as Storm turned to her suddenly.

"Would you like to lead from here Rose?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Uh, sure. I'll take a crack at it." she replied unsure as Storm moved to the side.

"Now that was cold." growled the wolverine as he broke free of the ice.

"Then let's warm you up a bit, shall we?" Rose replied with a slight smile as she pushed a button on the panel, a laser weapon appeared behind Logan. He jumped it, claws out, and was shocked back as he shredded it.

"Ya gotta connect first Goldilocks? Got any other party tricks?" he asked as a revolving weapon appeared and he shredded it too.

"Stop." came a deep voice from above. "It is, for the moment, as much damage as we can afford, Wolverine."

"Hey, when I give a demo," said Logan smugly as he pulled off his mask. "I give a demo."

"Demo as in demolish or demonstration?"" asked Scott through the mic in the control room as he turned to Storm confused. "I mean, what was the point?"

"The point, young Cyclops," she told him as she moved next to Rose bringing up the replay, examining it. "was to teach you something about finding weaknesses in sophisticated security systems."

That's right, bub." said Wolverine as he came up the elevator and walked to the controls. "And I'd say ours needs a little work."

"That was tight." applauded Kurt, hanging upside down with a bowl of popcorn. "I give you two thumbs up."

"The vents were pretty easily breached. Gonna need ta fix that." Logan commented as he watched the replay with the two female adult mutants. "Maybe electrify them or install poison gas sprayers."

"Devil-horns." Rose warned him as he glanced at her and surrendered at her glare.

"Alright, alright." he surrendered, crossing his arms. "Knock out gas then."

"Is it. like, just me or is anyone else, like, seriously freaked out by all this?" asked Kitty suddenly shivering as everyone turned to her curiously. The young mutant sighed as she pouted. "Oh right, it's just me? **Great**."

"Relax Keety. You'll be fine. Ve're right beside you, popcorn?" Kurt offered as he ported to her side an handed her popcorn to her with his spade shaped tail, lying back casually. Kitty jumped up in fright as he stood up to apologize. "Whoops, heh heh, sorry. Next time I'll honk before I port."

"Whatever. Look if you guys don't mind," the teenage girl said with her hands folded behind her back as she began to phase through the floor. "I'm gonna go to bed."

"Attention X-Men." came Charles' voice from above. "Cerebro ha detected a new mutant. Suit up everyone and meet in the hanger. X-Men, we have a rogue."

"This should be interesting." murmured Rose as they all suited up and set out in the X-jet. Scott and Kurt were in the front with Scott teaching Kurt how to fly the jet. Then was Professor Xavier and Storm and Rose and Logan behind them. Then Kitty and Jean were chatting with each other in the back.

"Scott's kinda cute, ya know?" Kitty was saying to Jean as she looked up at Scott. "All macho and mysterious."

"Cute?" Jean repeated in shock as she also looked up at Scott in the front, placing a hand to her mouth in thought. "Well from this angle maybe..."

Up in the front of the cockpit, Kurt was looking back at the two teenage girls with a slight frown on his face as he ported to the front of the jet. The elf soon lost balance and, before he tumbled smack into the windshield, ported and instead landed on Kitty's lap. Kitty flipped out as she shoved him off and walked away past Rose and Logan.

"Kids." grumbled Logan with his arms crossed as Kitty passed them. Rose said nothing as she watched Kitty go, chewing her lip slightly. The wolverine glanced over at her worriedly as he unfolded his arms and touched her bare forearm. "Alright Goldilocks, what's wrong?"

"Hmm?" Rose murmured as she turned to look at him with a playful smile. "Now why does there always have to be something wrong Devil-horns?"

"Because I know ya too well. "He answered as she said nothing. :So what's wrong?"

"Nothing." she said dismissively, but Logan's eyes bore down on hers as she raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright Logan. It's just that, well, I've been thinking about what Charles said. About her needing time to find her own path."

"So what's buggin' ya then?" he asked her as she bit her lip. "What?"

"It's just that," she sighed. "I guess it just hits a little close to home for me. Ya know, the whole being put into a strange new world, confused. But that gives her no excuse to behave the way she does just because of people who look different. I want to help her, but I want her to find her own path. It's so confusing."

"Uh, yeah. Actually I kinda didn't follow all that." he murmured making her laugh suddenly as he grumbled something unintelligible.

"Thanks." she said as she kissed him, then sat back.

"For what?" he asked.

"For always making me feel better." she murmured.

"Yer welcome." he said as Xavier told them to get ready for the jet was going to land.

~Part of A Family~

"The Professor said that this girl is confused and doesn't know where or who she is right?" asked Kitty as Rose nodded. "So where do we, like, look?"

"Chuck said that he detected some o' that boy's mind by the park that she absorbed. That's where we're heading." replied Wolverine as they walked down the street quietly to the park. "But we need ta stay quiet so we don't scare her."

As he said this, the four of them(Kurt included) reached the park and could hear slight crying behind the fence. A young girl with reddish-brown hair and white bangs. She wore a cropped green shirt with a black tank top underneath it, black sleek pants, and black boots. The teenage girl also wore dark makeup on her eyes and lips and had brown eyes and white skin. The girl looked up when she heard their footsteps then looking at Wolverine she jumped up in fright and ran.

"Vait," cautioned Kurt as Logan made to go after her. "I zink zat I should try and talk to her since, vor some reason, she's afraid of you."

"Ya sure kid?" Logan asked as Kurt nodded. "Alright, but half-pint stays with ya. We'll go get Chuck."

Kitty and Kurt looked unsure, but both already knew not to cross the wolverine. Rose looked at Logan curiously as they hurried back to the others.

"Why'd you- Oh wait. I get it." said Rose slowly as she smiled slightly. "You're giving them a little push to find their own paths aren't you?"

"I don't know what yer talkin' 'bout." he denied though looking at him, Rose could see the corner of his lips curled up slightly.

"Sure you don't." she murmured softly with a smile as they reached the professor and told him all that had happened. As Charles was thinking of what to do next, a desperate voice broke through his mind and a frown spread across his face.

"Wolverine, Silver Cheetah." Xavier said as they looked at him. "Kurt is hurt. Get back to the park quickly."

"Oh great." moaned Rose as Logan grumbled, they hurried back to the park. "I just hope they're okay."

The sight of Kitty holding an unconscious Kurt on her lap greeted them as Kitty tried to wake him up.

"Come on, Kurt." Kitty begged. "I'm. like, not sure about the whole fur thing, but, like, the pointed blue ears are starting to grow on me. Kurt?"

Kurt began to stir as the two adult mutants stepped near them. He raised his head slowly, then stood up blinking his eyes.

"Huh? Where am I?" the elf asked.

"Kurt! You're awake!" cried Kitty as she hugged him happily. Kurt looked at Rose and Logan confused as they just shrugged.

_It's a start_. thought Rose smiling. _She's on her way finding her own path._

**A/N: And there you have it. So what did you guys think? Next up to be updated is Her Only Wish which only has three chapters left. Read, review, and show some love. Til next time!**


	5. Control

**Disclaimer:**** I do not pretend to own X-Men just Rose.**

**A/N: Here it is. Finally right? This chapter delves more into Rose's particular past who some will know from Her Only Wish, but I added a little more detail. You'll just have to read and find out for yourselves. Oh yeah and in the beginning I'm summing up a couple episodes instead of doing whole chapters on them. So I'm summing up Blob and Evan and going straight to the field trip episode. Enjoy!**

A month or so had passed at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters after Rogue had gotten away from them and decided to join a group that called themselves The Brotherhood. The Brotherhood were made up of 4 other mutant boys: Lance who was a greasy, slinky boy with an annoying and obsessive infatuation with Kitty. Also known as Avalanche, he could move the earth underneath him.

Then there was Toad who desperately needed a bath and had the power of a toad. Fred, or Blob, was a sumo-wrestler sized boy who had super human strength and had even once kidnaped Jean because she was nice to him. And finally, Pietro, a.k.a. QuickSilver, who had super fast speed and is Evan's rival.

_These past few weeks sure have been hectic._ Rose thought as she entered the kitchen with Logan for breakfast. She narrowly stepped aside out of the way of Evan and his skateboard as he headed out to school soon followed by the rest of the kids. Evan was Storm's nephew from New York City and had the power to protrude spikes from his body and use them as weapons, giving him the name Spike. He had blond spiky hair, dark skin and eyes, and an obnoxious attitude. _Though he seems to be adjusting all right._

"Hey Storm, is there any food left?" asked Logan as he eyed an empty table.

"Yes, Wolverine." the weather goddess said from the stove as she scraped a gigantic pile of scrambled eggs and sausage off a frying pan onto a plate and set it on a table. "I made plenty."

"What would we do without you Ororo?" Rose said with a smile as she and Logan sat down at the table and helped themselves to food and coffee. "Evan seems to be adjusting well."

"Yes, but he's such a handful at times." she said with a sigh as she sat down beside Rose across from Logan who had snatched the news paper from where Scott had put it down and was reading it while sipping his coffee.

"All boys are." Rose said reassuringly as she took a bite of eggs. "It's good that there's so many kids here that he can interact with. Though it's a lot of work for us."

"Wait until more come." said the professor as he entered the kitchen. "Though I haven't detected any recently."

_Let's just hope when we do we get to them before __**he**__ does._ Rose thought.

~Part of a Family~

"Ow." Rose murmured as she sat up in bed with a dull throbbing in her forehead. She placed a hand on her head and sat upright against her headboard.

"Goldilocks? What's wrong?" Logan asked her as he got to his feet and went to the side of her bed.

"Nothing. It's just a headache." the silver cheetah assured him as her head continued to throb.

"Ya want me ta go get Chuck or Ororo?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine. I get a headache like this every once in a while. It'll pass." Rose assured him as she smiled slightly. _Though this time, it's stronger. Usually it's just a dull kind of numb feeling behind my eyes. I don't like this, but I'm not going to tell Devil-horns. He'll just freak out, claws blazing. I just hope I'm wrong._

Even though her head still hurt, though slightly numbed by Advil, Rose joined Logan for a session in the Danger Room.

"Ya sure ya feel all right for this?" Logan asked her for what seemed the up millionth time as they suited up and set the simulator to Level 10.

"Yes, I'm fine." she said as she put on her gloves. "Let's do this."

"Alright." he said as he told the computer to start the simulation. For a few minutes everything appeared fine as the two adult mutants dodged, jumped, and destroyed various machines that the Danger Room unleashed. Then, all of a sudden, Rose let out a scream, placed her hands on the sides of her head, and knelt on the floor in pain. Logan ordered the computer to freeze the simulation as he retracted his claws from one of the machines and rushed to her side, dropping on his knees in front of her. "I told ya ya weren't well enough to move around. Goldilocks, what's wrong?"

"Don't touch me!" she screamed as Logan had begun to reach out to her. She leaned away shaking her head as her whole body began to shake, tears streaming down her face. "Please, don't touch me right now Devil-horns. I-I don't want to h-hurt you."

"What do ya mean?" asked the wolverine bewildered, but Rose just let out another cry of pain. _Hey Chuck, can ya hear me?_

_Yes Logan. I can._ responded the professor. _I was just about to contact you in fact._

_What for? Is somethin' wrong? _he asked_. Because there's somethin' wrong down here_.

_Yes, so it seems._ agreed Xavier as he read Logan's thoughts_. I was afraid this might happen_.

_Why? What's wrong with Rose, Chuck?_

_It's because- _he began, but was suddenly cut off.

_Chuck? Chuck what's wrong?_

_It's _Xavier began again as he let out a grunt._ Magneto._

"Magneto! What the hell is he doin' here?" growled Logan aloud as he stood up, his claws unsheathed.

_No, don't do anything rash, Logan. Magnus is just here for a chat. _he told the wolverine as there was another pause and another grunt. _Besides, I want you to stay with Rose_.

_But, what's wrong with her?_ demanded Wolverine as he glanced down at Rose who was still shaking.

_I'll, explain later_. Xavier promised as he gave one final grunt and then sighed. _There, Magnus has left. How is Rose now, Wolverine?_

_Still the same._ Logan replied as Rose continued to shake uncontrollably which was really starting to unnerve him. _What do ya want me ta do Chuck?_

_Just stay there with her, Wolverine._ he commanded. _I'll be right-_

Suddenly, Rose stood up still shaking slightly and lunged at Logan who started then caught her by her wrists.

"What's gotten inta ya Goldilocks?" he asked her. He was having a hard time holding her back as her body continued to shake relentlessly and the vibrations began to enter his own body.

"It's n-not me." Rose stuttered as teats continued to stream down her face. "I'm not in c-control of my b-body or my p-powers. I c-can't s-stop. H-help me, D-Devil-horns."

"I w-will Goldilocks." Logan promised as he began to stutter as well. "I need ta get ya ta Chuck first, b-but y-ya need ta c-calm down first alright?"

"I w-would, but I-I c-can't." she told him as the vibrations began to intensify. "I-I don't w-want to hurt you Logan."

"I k-know ya don't." he said he took both of her wrists in one hand and lifted her chin with his other hand so that they were looking each other in the eye. "I-I d-don't know what this is all a-about exactly, though C-Chuck t-told me it has s-something to do with Magneto. Y-ya told me y-ya didn't w-want him hanging o-over y-ya anymore."

"I-I d-don't want him h-hanging over me anymore." Rose said. "Y-you helped me break away. I l-love it here w-with you, Ororo, C-Charles, and the others. I w-want to stay h-here."

Then b-break free of this Rose." he willed her with shining blue eyes that bore into her golden ones. "Think o-of everyone y-ya love and finally b-break free of him c-completely once and for all."

Rose did what he told her, she thought of Kurt with his golden spherical eyes similar to her own, Kitty finally starting to find her own path, Scott and Jean, Evan, Ororo and her plants, Xavier and his kind smile, and last but not least her Devil-horns. Especially her Devil-horns. Taking a ride on his motorcycle, sparring in the Danger Room, kissing in the moonlight, and tripping over him on the floor when she got out of bed.

"Devil-horns." Rose, who had finally stopped shaking, whispered and then fainted. Logan picked her up bridal style and looked down at the unconscious mutant.

"What the hell did he do ta ya?" growled Wolverine softly. "Well, I better get ya ta Chuck first."

"I'm afraid something more pressing has come up, Wolverine." said Xavier as he entered the Danger Room with Storm. "I fear that Scott is in trouble."

"What's wrong with Cyclops?" he demanded.

"I'll explain on the way." the professor told him. "But right now we need to hurry."

"What about Rose?" he asked looking down at her in his arms.

"We'll have to leave her here to rest for now." Xavier decided with a sigh. "I'd rather not, but Rose has been drained from Magnus's visit and Scott is in trouble. Kurt will watch over her when he gets home which should be soon."

"Alright." Logan agreed reluctantly as they made plans to head out and save Scott. Meanwhile Rose's mind drifted into unconsciousness and a weird dream from the past.

~Part of A Family~

_Her gloved hand tightened around her victim's neck as she sent vibrations into his body to the point that he about to explode from the inside out. He was a tall man, at least half a foot taller than her, so he was slightly slouched over with his knees almost touching the hard wood floor of the living room of the small cabin. He had short dark brown hair, a mustache, and dark eyes that were growing dimmer by the minute as his body continued to shake._

_'Very good, my assassin.' approved a voice in her head. 'Now finish him off like you did the other.'_

_Her body complied to the voice's orders as a small part of her screamed in protest._

_'Why? Why do I have to kill? Why this couple of all people?' she demanded as she looked from the dark haired man to a woman around the same age with chestnut colored hair slumped on the floor in a pool of her own blood. They had made her life hell for 13 years, but that did not mean she wanted to kill them and become a murderess._

_'Do it.' the voice commanded as she tried in vain to resist. 'Now!'_

_'No!' she mentally screamed as the man's body exploded in a million pieces, sending blood and guts all over the room onto the walls and onto her. She looked down at the destroyed corpse and then her bloody hand. 'No!'_

Rose's eyes flew open as she tried to sit up then fell back against an arm of a couch in the Institute's living room. "Ow."

"You're vinally avake." noted a familiar German accented voice as Kurt entered the room with a smile.

"Yeah, though I- oh that's right. I fainted." she said remembering._ Magneto must have come for a 'visit' and fricked with my mind for old time's sake. Asshole._

"Where's everyone else?" she asked.

"I believe zat zey're returning vith Scott und Rogue right about now." he told her.

"Scott **and** Rogue?" Rose repeated confused. "What the hell happened while I was unconscious?"

"I don't really know myself." Kurt admitted as Rose straightened her back against the arm of the couch. "How are you veeling anyway?"

"Better I guess." she answered as everyone came into the room, along with a slightly uncomfortable Rouge. and gathered in front of the couch. "Oh, hey guys."

"So yer awake Goldilocks." said Wolverine.

"Yeah, sorry I worried you guys." She apologized.

"What, like, happened?" asked Kitty.

"That's what I wanna know." Rose said staring at Rogue who shifted slightly not really looking at anyone but the floor. "Apparently a lot happened while I was unconscious."

"It was Mystique." Xavier told her as she turned her attention to the professor. "She has been disguising herself as the principal at the school. She used a ski trip today to ambush young Cyclops but, thanks to Rogue who has decided to join us, we were able to save them both in time and fight off Mystique for the time being."

"Mystique and Magneto in the same day." Rose murmured._ Though it doesn't surprise me we've known this for a while. Though we should have told them instead of letting them find out like this. It isn't right._

"Who's Magneto?" demanded Scott who's navy shirt was slightly torn.

"Well," began Xavier but Rose interrupted him.

"Let me, Charles." she said with a sad smile as the students looked at her curiously. "After all, I know him best."

"Vhat do you mean by zat Frau Rose?" inquired Kurt.

"You guys don't know much about my past at all do you?" she asked them as they shook their heads. "Though you might not like what you hear."

"Let us decide that." Scott said. "We can handle it. No more surprises. Trust us."

"Yes, it isn't right to keep things from you. You're not children. You're X-men. We're all part of a family." Rose agreed as she sighed and took in a deep breath. "I'll tell you about my past."

**A/N: And there you have it! Hope you liked it! Read, review, and show the love! Oh and a big, warm shout out to Japan in it's time of need. I'm praying for everyone! Until next time. **


	6. Family Ties

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the X-Men, just Rose.

**A/N: Hey, long time no see! At least with this story. Sorry about that. In this chapter, I will give more detail to Rose's past from the last chapter. Some of you may already know the basis of her past, though there will be a tiny variation since Evolution is a different version, though not much variation. Anyway, hope you like it! Enjoy!**

"Where to start." the silver cheetah mused as the six teenagers watched her patiently and curiously, the adults knowingly. _After all they've heard this story before. _"I guess from the beginning is as good a place to start."

Rose took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts, as she gingerly sat up in a better sitting position facing her audience. "I grew up on the edge of a small town, in Oregon, in a small log house with my parents, Maggie and Joe Silverstone. You could say they weren't the best parents in the world, particularly my father. He was an alcoholic who would go out drinking with his work buddies and come home in a drunken rage that he would turn on my mother and me. I wasn't sexually abused though, I guess that's a small blessing in itself.

"As you know, or have probably figured it out, I was born with my physical mutations. My spots and eyes." She continued as she talked the memories flooded back, she relived the pain and sadness as so many other mutants like her had and do now. "And as a result I was picked on at school and at home like so many other mutants. I was called a freak, monster, and severely punished by my father, both drunk and sober.

"I was **so **happy the day I turned thirteen and discovered my gift of speed. I used it to run far away, anywhere was better than the hellhole I had just escaped, or so I had thought. I ran from the West to East coast and finally fell down exhausted in an alleyway in New York. That's where **he **found me." Rose told them in a growl that could have rivaled even Wolverine's. "Magneto."

"Vho is zis Magneto guy?" asked Kurt reiterating Scott's question from before.

"Magneto is an extremely powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate magnetism." she answered. "He believes that humans are the enemy and that mutants are the better species. Which is utter nonsense. He's power hungry, dangerous, and crazy. Mystique is his partner. The Brotherhood, which is controlled by Mystique is therefore also controlled by Magneto. He looks out for mutants with great potential and sweet talks them into joining his side."

"Is that, like, what he did to you?" inquired Kitty hesitantly as Rose nodded.

"Yes, he came to me in the alleyway and said he knew what I was going through and that he could help me understand and control this marvelous power I had been given. I believed he was someone who would truly care and understand me without judgement, but I was wrong." Rose stated bitterly, pain flashing in her golden eyes. "He took me to his 'hideout' and put a metal chip in my head, turning me into his own personal puppet assassin."

Kitty and Jean looked at their teacher sympathetically, Rogue clenched her teeth, Kurt and Evan stared off into space, and Scott clenched his fists.

"Thanks for telling us." Scott told her sincerely after a moment, making her look at him with a small smile.

"You're welcome. You earned it." Rose said. "Like I said, you're X-Men. It's time to be treated as such."

"That's right." agreed Xavier as Wolverine and Storm nodded.

"Right. X-Men let's move out." said Scott as they followed him out of the room, shortly followed by Ororo and Xavier leaving Rose and Logan alone.

"Ya alright Goldilocks?" He asked after a moment sitting on the couch next to her.

"Yeah." She sighed leaning into him with her head on his shoulder. "It's just hard to think about **him **and the past."

"I know what you mean, though at least you know yours." He said bitterly as she tilted her head to look at him. He really did want to know his past, who wouldn't?

"Thank you." Rose whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

"For what?" He asked curiously.

"For stopping me before." She reminded him. "I wouldn't have been able to if you hadn't been there to help me. So thank you."

"I'll always be there ta help ya, ya know that." He told her.

"I know." she replied snuggling closer. "And so will I."

~ Part of A Family ~

"Hey Goldilocks." called Logan as he stood outside her bathroom waiting for her to get ready so they could go down to breakfast.

"Devil-horns if this is another crack about me taking forever, I will turn you inside out." She told him matter-of-factly.

"It's not that." He assured her, well not this time anyway. He knew better than to cross Rose this early in the morning, or any time of the day for that matter.

"Then what?" the cheetah inquired, genuinely curious now as she stepped out of the shower and started getting dressed.

"I was just wondering if ya wanted ta go on the bike with me after breakfast, that's all." Wolverine answered.

"Really? The **mighty **wolverine is gonna allow **me **the honor of riding his bike? I might faint." She said teasingly as she opened the door fully dressed. Her golden hair hang wet behind her as she held a brush in her hand.

"Haha. Yer hilarious Goldilocks. So ya wanna or not?" He asked her.

"Sure why not." She replied as she flipped her hair down to brush it then flipped it back up to finish it, spraying Wolverine with water.

"Hey, yer gettin' me wet here, Goldilocks." Logan told her, grabbing her arm and pulling her gently to him.

"What? You afraid to melt?" She murmured.

"No."

"Then stop complaining." She whispered, her smile softening as he pulled her closer still then suddenly let her go. "What's wrong?"

"I don't wanna hurt ya again." He whispered back, pain in his deep blue eyes.

"You won't." Rose assured him, pulling herself close again as Logan averted his eyes. "You won't."

"How do you know that?" he demanded, almost desperately. Almost. "How can you be so sure?"

"Do you love me?" She asked him, gently laying a gloved hand on one side of his face so that he would look at her. "Do you love me, Logan?"

"Yeah, of course I love you, Rose." he murmured sincerely.

"And I love you." She told him. "Do you trust me too? As I trust you?"

"Yeah." He said as realization lighted his face. "Oh."

"Mhm." Rose nodded. "You see? There's nothing to be afraid of. So, kiss me Devil-horns."

She pulled herself closer so that their lips were just a breath apart. Her hair hanging in front of her face as he brushed a few stray locks away, cupped her chin, and kissed her passionately for the first time sine the accident and man had she missed it.

They broke apart after a few moments, breathing heavily and eyes shining.

"Wow." they both breathed, smiling.

"Love you."

"Love ya too."

~ Part of A Family ~

Rose, even though she knew that she could go faster on her own two feet, still loved sitting on the motorcycle's seat with her arms wrapped around Wolverine's waist as they sped through the city and country side and were now heading back to the mansion.

"What is it?" She asked as he stopped the bike right in front of the mansion gate and took off his helmet, looking around, she did the same seeing nothing before turning back to him curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Not sure." He muttered as they put their helmets back on and entered the mansion. "Though I smell trouble approaching."

The next morning the silver cheetah headed outside for a little exercise with Scott and Logan where they had set up the simulation and were now weaving, deflecting, and destroying whatever it threw at them.

Rose was dodging a blaster when she noticed a shadow in her periferral vision and turned to see Spyke on his skateboard with a camera in his hand.

_What in the world is that boy thinking?_ She thought incredulously as she shook her head and called out to the blond teenager. "Evan! Pay attention! This isn't a game!"

Evan did not seem to hear her as one of the machines sent out throwing stars right at the back of his head.

"Evan! Watch your back!" She called though he still did not hear her. Though Scott did as he stopped and called out to the boy too. "Oh that boy! Devil-horns!"

Logan had no difficulty hearing her as he turned around, saw what was going on, and pushed the boy out of the way, deflecting the throwing stars.

_Thank God! _breathed the silver cheetah as she and Scott hurried over, Wolverine was already giving the porcupine a lecture. _He sure doesn't waste time. _

"What were ya thinkin' bub?" growled Wolverine as he picked the boy off the path by the front of his shirt. "Those things could have taken your spiky head right off."

"Didn't you hear me or Scott?" Rose inquired, her arms crossed and head cocked to the side.

"No. I'm sorry. It was stupid." Evan muttered as Logan noticed the camera in his hand.

"What's this?" He asked as he took it, letting the blond go who tried to get the camera back, but in vain as the wolverine turned his back to him and pushed the delete button.

"Hey! What was that for?" demanded Spyke.

"Let's just say you got on my bad side." He replied as he opened up the camera and pressed the rewind button as Rose walked up next to him, curious as well. "Now, what else do you have on this thing?"

The camera rewound to Evan zooming the vision from the school to the Institute from yesterday morning when Logan and Rose where returning from their morning drive. The video abruptly changed from him taking off his helmet and looking around, Rose asking what was wrong to... Sabertooth thanking Evan for showing him where Logan "and his little girlfriend were".

_Uh oh. _the silver cheetah thought as she looked towards Logan who shut off the camera.

"Who was that?" asked Evan as Logan handed him the camera back.

"Sabertooth." growled Wolverine as he walked a few paces away.

"Who's Sabertooth?" Spyke inquired.

"An old friend of Wolverine's." Scott answered him. "They have unfinished business so I've heard. And quite a history."

"You have no idea." muttered Rose as she walked over to Logan. "So what do you want to do, Devil-horns?"

Logan growled, sniffing the air, but was unable to answer her as a loud ringing went off: the Institute's alarm system. Someone was here.

_And three guesses who. _thought the silver cheetah sarcastically as Logan turned around and ran across the yard to the front entrance.

"Logan, wait!" She called after him as he disappeared beyond the house. With a sigh, she utilized her speed, disappeared then reappeared in the front yard where Wolverine was squaring off with Sabertooth while the other mutants were running out the front door, suited up and ready to fight.

"No!" shouted the wolverine as he dodged Sabertooth, noticing that the other X-Men were about to jump in. "He's mine!"

"No, Logan." replied Storm as she flew in the air and summoned lightning. "This is not the place for your own personal squabbles."

"Storm is right, Devil-horns." Rose agreed as Ororo sent a bolt of lightning at Sabertooth. The cheetah used this to her advantage to get closer to Logan, resting a gloved hand lightly on his arm. "This time is different. He's invading our home. **Our** home. So now this is all of our's business, not just yours."

"You should listen to your girlfriend, runt." sneered Sabertooth, lunging at Rose who dodged him by stepping to her left then sent vibrations through her right leg and kicked him in the side, sending him flying. Scott then shot at him with his beam, Jean used her power to levitate Sabertooth off the ground and threw him so that he hit a tree a few yards away. Struggling to his feet, Storm spared no time hitting him with another bolt of lightning, then Scott until Sabertooth ran away with the Institute's defenses sending him on his way as well. With a howl of rage, Wolverine charged after him.

"Logan, no!" warned Ororo.

"Don't worry, Ororo." Rose assured her as she started chasing after him. "I'll get Logan. You guys wait here."

"Will she really be able to get him to come back?" asked Evan doubtfully as the silver cheetah disappeared. "I mean, Logan looked pretty mad to me."

"If anyone can, like, calm Mr. Logan down, it's Rose." Kitty told him confidently as she looked at the spot her now mentor had been. "Trust me."

"I hope you're right, K-girl." the blond murmured. _This is all my fault. I need to think of a way to fix this. And i think I just did._

Meanwhile, Rose was standing at the edge of a cliff next to Logan who had lost Sabbertooth's scent which was not helping his temper at all.

_I need to calm him down._ thought Rose as she approached him, placing her gloved right hand on his shoulder. "Look Devil-horns, I know you want to settle the score with him, but now is not the time. He'll come back and this time, he won't just go after you."

"I know." he told her bitterly as he turned to face her, raising a hand to touch her cheek slightly. "We need to talk to Chuck."

~ Part of A Family~

"Ya do know he'll be back." Wolverine told Rose and the professor. They were in the computer room with Xavier in his wheelchair in front of the monitor facing Logan who stood across from him and Rose standing against the controls watching both of them. "Though now he knows that he can't get to me the same way so he'll use a different way."

"You mean through the students." Rose summed up as he nodded in her direction. "He's going to take a hostage to lure you out."

"Exactly." said Logan, arms crossed. "That means that all the kids are in danger."

"And can't leave the mansion." finished Charles, his fingers laced as he stared downward in intense thought.

"Don't worry Chuck. I, I mean we'll get him before he gets any of the kids." promised Logan catching Rose's golden eyes.

"I know you will." the professor said with a slight smile looking up. "I know you will."

**A/N: And there you have it! The sixth chapter of Part of a Family! Hope you enjoed it :D Until next time! Read, review, and show the love!**


	7. Family Ties Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men, just Rose.

**A/N: Long time no see! Welcome to the seventh chapter of Part of a Family! We are reaching the finale of Season 1. In this chapter, I plan to wrap up Skype Cam and go all the way to… well, you'll just have to read and see. So, without further ado, onto the show! Enjoy!**

"Hey Logan, have you seen Kitty?" asked Rose as she came down one of the stairways leading to the main entrance. "I can't find her anywhere."

"That's 'cause half-pint, along with Rogue and Porcupine, aren't in the damn mansion." Wolverine told her as he stood with Scott in front of the main doors; Cyclops a little uncomfortably, which was understandable since the wolverine was physically fuming.

"What?! But Sabertooth's still out there!" The silver cheetah exclaimed.

"That's why I'm goin' to go find 'em." He replied as he headed out the main entrance.

"Wait," Rose flashed to his side. "I'm coming with you, Devil-horns."

"Yeah, I figured as much." He murmured as he caught the three mutants' scents along with a fourth, making him growl. "Sabertooth."

"Is he with the kids?" She asked as Logan sprinted off. "I'll take that as a yes."

The mutants' scents' trail led Rose and Logan to a clearing in the woods where the three younger mutants were trying to hold off Sabertooth. Logan, wasting no time, unsheathed his adamantium claws and joined the fight with Rose right behind him. With a surge of speed, Rose rushed past Logan, attacking Sabertooth from the side. She aimed a well-placed kick into his kidneys, sending him flying right at Logan; the two squared off.

Suddenly Sabertooth pushed Wolverine aside and made to grab Kitty who phased right through him. Rose, noticing a familiar face behind the hairy mutant, jumped into the air and kicked Sabertooth in the chest, sending him flying into the familiar face's arms… Rogue.

Rogue touched Creed's face with a bare hand, momentarily taking his powers and knocking him out. The downside… Rogue turned into a she-wolf.

"Aw. And I just shaved mah legs last night." The young female mutant cried.

"Nice." remarked Wolverine as he strode over to Creed where he laid face-down on the ground. "The finishing touch."

"You three are in a lot of trouble." Rose told them as the three younger mutants groaned. Kitty stared at her mentor with her best puppy dog pout. "Don't give me that, Kitty. What you three did was dangerous. You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

"Rose is right." agreed Logan. "Yer all grounded."

"For how long?" asked Evan warily as the two older mutants glanced at each other. Rose shrugged, a slight smirk on her face.

"I don't know." muttered Logan with a sigh as he picked up Creed, carrying him on his back. "Until She-wolf here gets a haircut."

~ Part of a Family ~

"You've been awfully quiet this morning, Devil-horns." noted Rose as they sat on a bench in the garden. "I mean, you didn't even banter with me this morning during our DR mission. So, what's up?"

Wolverine grumbled something that sounded a lot like survival training.

_Ah. So __**that's**__ it. _thought the silver cheetah with a slight smile. "Still pissed that the kids decided to go to a camp to do survival training instead of with you huh?"

Wolverine grumbled in acknowledgement making her laugh, which in turn earned her a glare.

"Well, can you blame them?" She countered, earning her silence. "See? Besides, we did have a little fun while they were gone."

"Yeah. Cain Marko, a.k.a. Juggernaut." He murmured.

"A.k.a. Charles' stepbrother." She murmured back, thinking back to the day when the kids had gone to camp.

That day the professor had given the young mutants a choice: either endure survival training with Wolverine OR go to a boot camp. So, as Rose had hinted at earlier, the kids had chosen boot camp. While they were gone, Mystique had broken out Juggernaut, who then decided to pay his stepbrother Charles a visit. Rose and Logan had tried to stop him but, in the end, it was Charles who had stopped him.

_Probably Magneto's idea._ Rose thought icily. _I just wonder what his REAL plan is. I have no idea why, but I feel like this is only the beginning. Good thing the kids learn fast, though maybe a little TOO fast…_

~ Part of a Family ~

A few days later, X summoned Rose and Logan, via Logan's mind since Rose still had the metal chip that Magneto had placed inside her head at age 13, to his office.

"I summoned you two here, not because of Juggernaut, but because of something most perturbing." The professor told the two X-Men as they looked at each other curiously.

_Perturbing? _The silver cheetah thought, thoroughly confused. "And what is that, Charles?"

"Late last night, young Rogue had a nightmare."

"Obviously not a normal nightmare," Rose noted. "or you wouldn't have wanted us to come to your office, and so urgently too."

Xavier nodded. "When I examined Rogue's dream last night, I discovered that the dream was, in fact, a memory. **Someone** **else's** memory."

"Like someone she had come in contact with?" the silver cheetah asked. "Someone who came into contact with her bare skin?"

The professor nodded again, his eyebrows slightly knitting together in a frown. "Yes. Apparently when Rogue comes into contact with another mutant, she not only gains their power for a short amount of time, but their memories as well. In this case, Mystique's, the night she lost her baby boy.

"In Rogue's dream, there is a castle on a cliff surrounded by woods. Inside the castle is a strange room with equipment where Mystique is shouting at someone, calling him a monster. She then takes her baby boy and flees as they are chased by wolves. The wolves chase her onto a bridge where she stumbles and accidentally drops her baby over the side into the water."

"…Who was the baby boy?" asked Rose quietly, though she felt like she already knew the answer.

"The boy was, is, our own Kurt Vagner." X replied.

"Mystique must have known he was, is, her son." Wolverine noted after a moment of silence. "So why didn't she ever get in contact with the elf?"

"That is one of the things I will be sure to ask her when I go and see her this afternoon at the high school." Charles told them.

"I'm going with you." declared Rose.

"Somehow I knew ya would say that." murmured Logan with a slight smile as he shook his head.

"I will also be acquiring the coordinates of the castle from Mystique's mind." Charles continued. "I will send them telepathically to you, Logan. See if you can find out what went on there."

_I have a feeling it's not good. _thought the silver cheetah ominously. _Not good at all. _

~ Part of a Family ~

"It turns out that Rogue's dream was, in fact, a memory. **Your** memory, Mystique." Xavier was saying as he watched Mystique from where he sat in his wheelchair, Rose standing behind him. She had agreed earlier to let the professor to take the lead on this one. "The night you lost your baby boy."

"I have no idea what you are blathering on about Charles." Mystique murmured as she sat in her high back chair behind her desk. "You're just fishing around, as usual."

"What happened that night in the castle, Mystique?" Xavier continued, ignoring her jab. "Who was that man with you? What did he do to the boy?"

Mystique did not reply as she abruptly stood up and faced the windows, turning her back on them.

"You act like the tragic heroine when, in reality, you're not." stated Rose simply though her cat-like eyes were flashing. "It was your foolish choices that caused this situation. Whatever happened to the boy that night was your fault, Mystique. **Yours**."

"Get out!" The shape-shifter screamed, turning back around to face them as she pointed a long finger at the door.

Rose looked at Charles who simply nodded and turned towards the door with her behind him. He paused long enough to say this: "Just in case you are curious, he turned out to be a very fine lad."

Once outside, Xavier sent Logan, who waited in the Blackbird back at the Institute, the coordinates of the castle that he had acquired from Mystique's mind. He then turned to address Rose, but she was gone.

_Dear Rose, always in such a rush. Especially when the situation involves someone she cares about. _He thought with a small smile. _Even after all she went through she still has such a good soul. Sometimes I wonder what would have been if she had never been taken in by Magnus._

~ Part of a Family ~

"Well, this is it." stated Wolverine as he set the jet down near a cliff that the castle from Rogue's dream sat upon.

"Geez, dreary enough?" asked the silver cheetah as they left the jet and started climbing the cliff side. After a few minutes they entered the castle and came upon a room full of what looked like lab equipment. "It's like a place Frankenstein and his creator would live in…"

"Yeah." He agreed as he reached for the walkie-talkie on his belt. "We're here, Chuck. We found the room from Rogue's dream… It's like a place Frankenstein would hang out. Someone left it in a hurry too. This place is a wreck."

"Uh, Logan?" Rose said nervously as he looked at her; she had a finger pointed at a… detonation device.

"I'll have to call ya back, Chuck." Wolverine said quickly as they ran out of the castle and jumped off the cliff: Logan first as he caught Rose, then sprinted for the Blackbird as the castle blew up above them.

"You do know what that place looked like, right Devil-horns?" She asked quietly after they had settled themselves in and set off back for the Institute. "Someone was experimenting on mutants. Three guesses who. What are we going to tell Kurt?"

"Some things are better left unsaid." Logan told her, his eyes facing forward though his thoughts were turned inwards. "I think it would be best that the elf did not know what happened up in that castle."

"Yeah, you're right." She murmured. "It would corrupt his soul if he knew."

"I wouldn't say that." He argued, making her look at the wolverine. "I mean, look at ya and what ya went through cause of Magneto. Yer a good person, even after all the crap he put ya through. Ya still have a good soul. Yer still ya: a sweet, caring, pain in the ass person."

"You know sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Magneto had never taken me in." She mused, touched by his little speech.

"That's easy." Logan stated, stealing a sideways glance at her with one of his rare, full smiles. "We would have never met and life would suck."

"Suck more than usual you mean." She corrected him, smiling back.

"Yeah." He murmured, his smile fading. "Ya know sometimes I wonder if I would still be the way I was before I met ya and the others."

"What do you mean?" She asked, her smile turning into a frown.

"I wasn't the… nicest guy once."

"I find that hard to believe."

"You would be surprised then." He told her.

Rose shook her head, but let the subject go. She could never imagine her devil-horns as a bad guy or worse as he had just hinted at, never.

She was soon to be proven otherwise as Logan turned on her, Kurt, and Kitty.

**A/N: And there you go! I am hoping, key word is HOPING mind you, to finish up season one the next time I update this fanfic. Til then: read, review, and show the love! Next to be updated is Coming of Age! **


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